


The Velocity of Lava

by Helmhammerhand



Category: Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan
Genre: Amusement Parks, M/M, Roller Coasters, birthday writings
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-06-11
Updated: 2014-06-11
Packaged: 2018-02-04 07:02:20
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,559
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1769983
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Helmhammerhand/pseuds/Helmhammerhand
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>With Armin's help, Jean begrudgingly overcomes his fear of heights.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Velocity of Lava

**Author's Note:**

> This is a very delayed birthday gift for my beloved Emily, arminmoncheri.  
> She didn't ask for this, but I hope she likes it anyway.

"Armin, I’m fully aware that it's your birthday, but you know how afraid of heights I am."  
Jean sat on the couch in their small apartment, looking disconcertedly at the blond before him hopping from foot to foot. Memories flashed before his eyes like light bulbs; staring at the immensity of the city skyline, he had stepped a bit too close to the edge. His heart stopping when he felt his body pitch forward, felt the air leave his lungs. Armin, always observant, grabbed the back of his shirt so tight it ripped. They both toppled backward onto the concrete, with a few scrapes but feeling lucky to be alive.  
Jean shivered at the thought. He might well have been sidewalk chalk if it hadn’t been for Armin. Perhaps he did owe him. No, he definitely owed him, but did it have to be like this?  
Armin pulled his pleading face, eyelashes dusting across his cheeks and a not so subtle lip quiver. It was blatant and cheesy, but adorable nonetheless. He looked like a kicked puppy, and Jean couldn't say no to that face. Jean tugged him down onto the couch, pinning him against the rough cushions with his thighs and kneeling over him. Slowly, he bent down; Armin’s eyes closed as he went in for a kiss, but it never came. His eyes flicked open.  
Jean hovered just above him, worry etched along his brow. He sighed, "You know I love you, right?” He kissed the top of the boy’s nose lightly. “Let's go see if we can book a hotel."  
Armin smiled widely and pulled him into a long kiss.

\-----

Jean's neck was starting to hurt from leaning it so far back. The ka-thunk, ka-thunk of wheels grinding against steel was burning itself into his mind, and he could feel the gaping maw in his stomach open up. His heartbeat aligned with the thumping and he took it for a funeral march.  
"Its common courtesy to at least know the name of what's about to kill me," He whined hoarsely, eyes following the screams of what clearly must be agony along the tracks.  
Armin watched Jean from the corner of his eye and giggled. "This one is called the Volcano."  
Jean turned to glare at him. "Lemme guess, it shoots you out of a volcano?"  
"Well, yeah. A lot of roller coasters start off with a huge hill that the cart goes up, which then topples over the edge. There’s something to be said about the anticipation of watching the world fall away from you, but this isn't that type of coaster."  
Jean swallowed the lump in his throat. The prospect of being slowly drug up a hill sounded a lot like being loaded into a trebuchet to him.  
"So what happens if it doesn't have a hill?" He whispered breathlessly.  
A loud roar drowned out his voice, shrieks prefacing the expulsion of a cart full of soon to be dead people from the top of the volcano.  
Their eyes followed the cart around the tracks, two chins tracing out circles for each loop.  
Armin watched the anguish play across Jean's face with bemusement and a hint of pity. "Are you sure you want to know?"  
Jean sighed, and looked at him. "It's probably better if I don't, isn't it?"  
Armin laughed, grabbed his hand and walked them past the 'enter' sign.  
Jean regretted not updating his last will and testament.

\-----

Jean's palms were sweating so much they were starting to itch. It was unnerving how the trains that left full of people came back empty. He knew it was ridiculous, but his mind developed several explicit ideas about whether those people had actually made it out alive. He knew he wouldn't.  
It wouldn’t have been so bad for Jean if they hadn’t been waiting in line for almost an hour; sixty minutes worth of internal screaming and looking for escape routes he knew he couldn’t take.  
Armin stood in front of him, eagerly watching the trains leave until they were next in line. His body was shivering with excitement, fists clenching repetitiously. Jean bent down to wrap his arms around the boy’s waist, planting small kisses along his slender neck. Armin turned, matching their lips together in a string of tender moments. Jean rested his forehead against golden hair, breathing in his boyfriend’s clean scent.  
"At least I got a kiss goodbye before I leave this world,” he quipped.  
Armin pulled away a bit, smacked him lightly on the arm. "Jean, you're so melodramatic! You'll be fine, don't worry.” He reached down and grasped Jean’s shaking hand. “I'll be right beside you the entire time, and I'll hold your hand. I promise."  
A metal screech cut off his words as the large, garishly colored hearse arrived, restraints poised like prison bars above the empty seats.  
Reluctantly, Jean allowed Armin to tug him forward. He groaned loudly, "Armin, did you have to pick the front seat?"  
"Yes," Armin said, hopping lightly into his seat and securing his restraints.

Jean couldn't get the seatbelt to click, the metal clasp kept slipping out of his sweaty hands. His fear was getting the best of him. All he could picture was the ride starting and him plummeting to his death from being ejected out of a fake volcano. He could see the headlines now, ‘Jean Kirschstein, First Person to Die Jumping Out of a Volcano’. An employee came by to check everyone's lap bars, and Jean's cheeks reddened when they had to click the locks together for him before moving on to the other passengers. He pulled the restraints as tight as they would go.  
He glanced over at Armin, who was kicking his feet rapidly beneath him in excitement. Shining blue eyes met his. "Thank you for coming with me, Jean. It means the world," Armin beamed.  
"Yeah, yeah, you can thank me when we make it out alive." His voice shook worse than his hands.  
The carriage lurched forward slowly, making a small left turn towards the start of the track. This isn't so bad, Jean thought, as long as it doesn't--

The train jolted forward, 4 g forces driving Jean's head back against the chair abruptly. His heart pounded against his ribcage like a wild animal, his knuckles white against the restraints. Whether from the wind gusting by at 70 mph or from sheer terror, he felt tears making horizontal trails along his cheeks. He felt Armin’s fingers curl between his, but he was afraid to move his head.  
What jean found the most curious was that he didn't hear a sound. The wind whipped around them silently, and there was a distinct lack of piercing screams. The wheels should have been clacking noisily along the tracks, but they too were quiet. It felt almost...peaceful. It felt like flying, and for a moment he forgot his fear. He watched tiny trees fall away below him. This was a stunning new horizon, and he still had Armin to pull him back to earth. Plus lots and lots of restraints.

The train slammed to a halt at the edge of the station, flinging Jean forward against the bars with sudden force. As it started crawling forward, sound returned to Jean’s ears. A few people behind them were clapping and yelling, the wheels continued their ka-thunking. Feeling safe enough to risk it, he turned to the side. Armin was laughing, cheeks red with excitement, feet still kicking wildly about. As soon as the restraints released, he jumped from his seat, spinning around to face Jean. He kept wiggling, bouncing around, and Jean couldn't help but find him charming even though he couldn't seem to move his own muscles. Jean unbuckled his lap bar and fell to the ground ungracefully in a heap, only half dramatically, his legs refusing to operate properly. Armin grabbed his hand and helped him stand, then dragged him from the platform towards the exit, prancing like a deer.

As they followed the wandering exit line, Armin grabbed Jean's other hand and twirled around in circles. "That was brilliant!" he shouted. Jean smiled despite himself.  
"So, what did you think?" Armin asked, excitement slurring his consonants together.  
Jean swallowed before collapsing playfully into Armin's arms. "I feel a bit faint, but I survived."  
Armin laughed. "Excellent. I think this is good for you! That one might be my favorite. It is a bit short though. We'll have to see, depending on what else we ride today."  
Jean's face went white, his body still and his feet rooted to the spot. “What...else? You mean there are more of these?"  
Armin looked at him as if he were a two headed antelope. "Uhh, of course Jean! We're at an amusement park; roller coasters are basically the main attraction. Did you really think we’d just ride one?"  
Jean groaned, before shuffling along behind Armin resignedly. He caught Armin by surprise when he grabbed the boy’s waist, turning him around and kissing him hard on the mouth. They were breathless when they broke apart.  
Jean rested his cheek against his forehead, "You know I love you, right? I’ll do this for you, but you have to make me a promise.”  
Armin pulled away, gazing up at him quizzically.  
Jean smiled warmly, “Tomorrow we go to the water park.”

**Author's Note:**

> Roller coasters are an inappropriate amount of fun.  
> The Volcano is probably my favorite roller coaster. To be fair though I haven't been back to Cedar Point (roller coaster capital of the world, represent!) in a long time.  
> You can watch a POV of it here: http://youtu.be/89HLnsZUd1c


End file.
